Prince William paid a touching tribute to his bride-to-be Kate Middleton today as the couple held their last joint engagement before their wedding day.

Prince William paid a touching tribute to his bride-to-be Kate Middleton today as the couple held their last joint engagement before their wedding day.

The royal described how he was "very fortunate" to have "Catherine" during a day-long visit to Lancashire to celebrate the achievements of young people.

William and Kate were greeted by cheering crowds and Union flag-waving school children, and received words of support for their wedding day while in Darwen and Blackburn.

The royal and his fiancee looked relaxed and happy throughout their visit but will not be seen together officially until they are reunited at Westminster Abbey on April 29 to exchange their marriage vows.

The couple braved early downpours when they arrived which had soaked the well-wishers who had gathered to see them visit Darwen Aldridge Community Academy to open the institution.

The royal bride-to-be looked slimline and stylish in a smart navy blue fitted jacket and skirt and even sported a large black umbrella to keep off the rain.

William gave a speech at the Academy to launch a new award scheme named in his honour - the SkillForce Prince's Award - which will recognise young people's contributions to their communities, and used the opportunity to praise his fiancee.

The prince, an RAF search and rescue pilot, told the audience: "I know that I am very fortunate. I have the support of my family and friends, I do a job I enjoy ... and I have Catherine.

"But I have learnt through working with some truly inspiring charities - none more so than SkillForce - that these things can never be taken for granted."

The tribute was reminiscent of his father the Prince of Wales who frequently refers to his "darling wife" in speeches when the Duchess of Cornwall is present.

When the couple left to travel for their next engagement they found the crowds had waited patiently for them to emerge.

Typical of those who had remained was Linda Gregson, 52, of Darwen, who spent two and a half hours in the rain with son Mitchell, 15, but said it was "absolutely worth the wait".

She added: "I'm so excited. I told her we are going down to London for their wedding and she said she hoped it was a nicer day for us."

The prince and his fiancee were later driven to Witton Country Park for a visit as part of the royal's role as patron of the Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge.

The initiative aims to protect permanently 2,012 outdoor recreational spaces across the UK and demonstrate the importance of green spaces for sport.

Kate was given the honour of starting a 100-metre race and held up a flag and let it drop to give the teenage female athletes their cue a few moments before the weather turned and the sun came out.

After they raced past William clapped as they jogged to a halt and the winner, Natalie Sailor, 16, from Lancaster, came up to the couple to collect her medal from Kate, who in a warm gesture touched the teenager briefly on the shoulder while the royal shook her hand.

Miss Sailor, a student at Our Lady's RC College who trains with Blackburn Harriers athletics club, said: "It was very nice to meet them. They asked me if I preferred 100 or 200 metre races.

"Kate looked very, very pretty."

The couple later went on a walkabout, splitting up to meet as many people as possible who had lined their route out of the park.

Paul Ratcliffe and Josie Weeks had travelled from Pudsey, West Yorkshire, and both presented Miss Middleton with red roses, because she was in the Red Rose county.

"It's nice to see them and wish them all the best for the future," Mr Ratcliffe said.

"I just gave her roses to welcome her and to say what wonderful news it is about their wedding. She said it was nice to be spoilt like this."

Ms Weeks added: "She is stunning, isn't she? He's a lucky fellow, but mind you, so is she. They are both lucky to have each other. And even the sun came out at the end."